Liam Neeson has returned to theaters in a big way with The Naked Gun; with it, the comedy genre is breathing again. After years without a major box office win, Neeson is finally front and center in a film that is clicking with both critics and moviegoers.
R-rated comedies have not had much success on the big screen lately, usually landing on streaming with forgettable results. Sony gave it a try earlier with No Hard Feelings starring Jennifer Lawrence, which managed around $80 million worldwide. Now, Paramount is stepping in with this reboot, helmed by Akiva Schaffer and backed by Seth MacFarlane.
The Naked Gun is fucking phenomenal – I literally spent 85 minutes laughing non-stop. More of this Liam Neeson, please, and Pamela? She absolutely ATE. Comedy of the year, no notes. I need more of this energy ASAP! ❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/xRzL8Eh9gO
The Naked Gun Box Office Performance: $28 Million and Growing
According to Box Office Mojo, The Naked Gun has earned more than $28 million worldwide so far, including $17 million from the US and another $11.5 million from overseas. That puts it ahead of recent attempts to bring comedies back to theaters.
Neeson and MacFarlane had teamed up before on A Million Ways to Die in the West, which could not gain traction despite following the hugely successful Ted. According to Collider, the Western comedy struggled to reach $90 million worldwide and was weighed down by negative reviews and a steep budget.
Critics and Audiences Praise The Naked Gun
The new Naked Gun cost roughly $40 million but started strong, with high praise from both audiences and critics. The film currently holds a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience score is 76%. Neeson plays Frank Drebin, a role that leans into his dead-serious presence while everything around him gets absurd. It is a surprising fit that works.
The original Naked Gun trilogy, led by Leslie Nielsen and spun off from Police Squad, had a major box office pullback in the day. All three crossed $100 million globally, and two went well over $150 million. The new version brings back that energy while giving it a modern edge. Pamela Anderson also joins the cast, coming off praise for her performance in The Last Showgirl.
For Neeson, this is his biggest opening since Taken 3 back in 2014. His last strong showing was The Commuter in 2018. After a long string of thrillers and quieter releases, this return to comedy is his sharpest move in years. The Naked Gun is now playing in theaters.
